


Well Hello Santa

by EllenMarieP



Series: Thomas Barrow Christmas Prompts [10]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Humour, M/M, Mrs Patmore has a problem, Santa Costume
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:48:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28099452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllenMarieP/pseuds/EllenMarieP
Summary: Part 10 of the Christmas prompt challenge.Father Christmas- Character A has to dress up as Father Christmas, how does character B react?Dressing up as Santa brings out Thomas' insecurities.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow/Richard Ellis
Series: Thomas Barrow Christmas Prompts [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030419
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31
Collections: A Very Thomas Barrow Christmas 2020





	Well Hello Santa

**Well Hello Santa**

“You’re going to have to come out of there sometime Mr Barrow.”

“Says who?”

“Well, the children would be very disappointed if you didn’t.”

“That’s a low blow Mrs Hughes.”

Mrs Hughes stifled a laugh as she heard the reluctant butler shuffling slowly towards the door of his office. Mr Carson was supposed to be the one dressing as Santa for the children at Lady Mary’s behest but unfortunately for Mr Barrow, Charles had taken ill that morning and Thomas hadn’t been able to stand up to four sets of pleading eyes. The outfit, however, was still the same one that has been made for Mr Carson, Mrs Hughes and Miss Baxter only had a short window to adjust it which was getting shorter by the minute as their model refused to come out of his dressing room.

“Really Mr Barrow! We’re running out of time to adjust your suit now come one out!”

“That’s the problem Mrs Hughes.”

Now she was just confused.

“What is?”

Finally, the door to the butlers' office scraped open and a very upset looking Santa butler stepped out. Mrs Hughes was startled to notice that Mr Barrow looked near tears as he glanced down at himself before lifting his eyes back to her with a slight shudder in his breath.

“It fits.”

“Oh….”

Mrs Hughes personally thought that Thomas looked very dashing in red and didn’t really understand what the problem was until she noticed his hands fiddling with the belt around his waist. After all, he and Charles were the very nearly the same height with equally broad shoulders. She should have realised that Thomas wouldn’t be as comfortable with an expanding waistline the silly, vain man that he could be.

Thomas must have recognised the bemused expression on her face, and he offered her a half-smile and a shrug.

“I know it’s daft, but I can’t help it. I’m just so used to…”

“People being interested in you for your looks?”

He blushed at that and gave a reluctant nod, no longer able to meet her eyes. She smiled in understanding and moved closer to lay a hand gently on his arm.

“You still have your looks Mr Barrow. It’ll take more than a few extra pounds to change that. If Mr Ellis doesn’t agree then he’s not the man for you although I think he will. Nobody writes that many letters to someone if they only see them as a pretty face.”

To say that Thomas was surprised would be an understatement. He had thought he was being discreet; he didn’t open his letters in front of others, their phone calls were late at night after everyone else had gone to bed but then again…there was no such thing as a secret at Downton Abbey. He would never admit it, but Mrs Hughes’ easy acceptance and apparent approval also made him feel oddly warm inside which seemed to chase away his daft insecurities.

If only they knew that this lovely moment was about to be ruined by something that might just scar Thomas for life.

“Well hellooo Santa!”

There was a sudden smack as Mrs Hughes hand collided with her own face in despair as Mrs Patmore leaned in the kitchen doorway giving Thomas a, dare he say, a rather lecherous look.

“If you ever change your mind about women Mr Barrow you will let us know won’t you?”

Thomas allowed himself a couple of blinks to recover before offering a, still swift, retort with his usual deadpan delivery.

“Any chance of that ever happening just ran away screaming Mrs Patmore.”

Mrs Hughes cleared her throat and gave Thomas one last pat on the arm before she marched over to the cook and unceremoniously shoved her back into the kitchen. She remained in the doorway long enough to offer some final words of irritated wisdom before following.

“Seeing as your suit doesn’t need adjusting Mr Barrow perhaps you could go up to the children early whilst I have a talk with Mrs Patmore about her Christmas drinking…again.”

Santa Barrow gave himself a shake and made a few final adjustments to his mercifully temporary long, white beard and pointy red hat before setting off up the stairs muttering to himself as he went;

“I’m going to have nightmares for weeks.”


End file.
